You Are Cordially Invited (episode)
The matriarch of the House of Martok challenges Worf and Dax's marriage. Summary A week has passed since the Federation retook Deep Space 9. The station has been designated headquarters for the Ninth Fleet with General Martok being designated as its new Supreme Commander. Captain Sisko recommended him for the position but Martok is not pleased, as it means vast amounts of paperwork to do. In Quark's, Jadzia Dax, Worf and Alexander Rozhenko are discussing an incident that happened on the Rotarran when Alexander flooded an entire deck with hydraulic fluid. Alexander also mentions that he has received new orders; he is to transfer to the Ya'Vang. Dax decides to move the wedding forward, so that Alexander may participate before he leaves. Worf agrees and tells Alexander that he wishes for him to be his Tawi'Yan, a swordbearer, almost an equivalent to a best man. While Dax and Kira Nerys are discussung the wedding later, Dax notices that Odo changed direction to avoid meeting them. Kira tells her it is because of what happened during the Dominion Occupation, to which Dax has no idea. Later, Worf meets with Sisko, Martok, Miles O'Brien and Julian Bashir. He asks them to join Martok and himself in Kal'Hyah, a mental and spiritual journey that lasts for four nights before a Klingon wedding. Martok advises the four to get a good night's sleep and a good meal before entering. Later, Sisko and Martok go to one of the upper pylons, to greet Martok's wife Sirella, who has arrived on a Vor'cha class ship. By marrying Worf, Jadzia will become a member of the House of Martok. As a Mistress of a Great House, Sirella approves all the weddings conducted by its members. Sirella greets Martok by telling him he has put on weight- and his hair is going gray. After Sirella tells him she expected him to be in his grave, he tells her he will attempt to die soon- before the year is out if possible. Sirella then travels to meet with Dax and is extremely hostile to her. Sirella tells her that it would be difficult to for a Klingon female to impress her and that for an alien it will almost be impossible. Worf confronts Martok asking him why he never told him Sirella was opposed to his marriage to Jadzia. Martok tells him Sirella believes that by allowing aliens into the House of Martok, they risk losing their Klingon identity. Martok reveals that Sirella does not like Worf either. Meanwhile, Sisko, O'Brien, Bashir and Alexander begin the Kal'Hyah, in one of Quark's holosuites, all eager for what they assume will be four days of Klingon debauchery. Worf shows them the Ma'Stakas, that are to be used at the conclusion of the wedding to attack Worf and Dax. This tradition stems from Kahless and Lukara's wedding when they were nearly killed by Molor's troops. Worf also mentions that the food sitting nearby is not to be eaten, it is there to tempt them to break their fast. This is the first trial on the path to Kal'Hyah- deprivation. Everyone realises that they're in for four days of hell. At the same time, Dax is undergoing a trial of her own. She is holding two braziers and lifts them unto a column. Sirella is unimpressed and orders her to do it again. Sirella then tells her to end her attempt as she believes the House will not tolerate her weakness and will always be considered an outsider. Dax reacts angrily to this and lifts the braziers again. Jadzia's next trial is to recite the history of all the women in Sirella's family. Dax then tells her that one of Sirella's ancestors who was apparently the daughter of a Klingon Emperor was in fact a concubine. While this is happening, Kira congratulates Jake Sisko on having his stories of the Dominion occupation published by the Federation News Service. Odo approaches but once again avoids Kira. Kira and Jake then see Sisko, Bashir, O'Brien and Alexander enter the holosuites again, on the second night of their path to Kal'Hyah. This trial is the shedding of blood. Sisko, O'Brien and Alexander take a step back before Worf and Martok turn around. Although, Worf is surprised to see that Bashir has 'volunteered' to go first, Bashir is even more surprised. Meanwhile Dax is hosting a party in her quarter's with many people including Kira, Nog, Quark, Rom, Leeta and Jake. A Samoan dancer is also performing with a two handed knife, burning on each side. This dancer, Manuele Atoa, is actually a lieutenant from the USS Sutherland. Meanwhile, Bashir and O'Brien are chained to the ceiling above a floor covered with hot coals. Bashir tells O'Brien he is having a vision- he is going to kill Worf. O'Brien agrees with him. Odo arrives at the party after receiving complaints about the noise. Odo and Kira finally realize they have to talk about what happened during the Occupation. Sirella arrives and tells Dax it is time for the Bre'Nan ritual, to which Dax tells her she is busy. Sirella insults her, calling her a Risian slut. Sirella orders her to come with her, or she will cancel the wedding. After refusing Sirella pulls a knife and Dax attacks her. Sirella leaves and the party resumes. The next morning Worf solemnly tells Dax that Sirella has cancelled the wedding. Worf tells her to go to Sirella and beg for forgiveness to which she reacts angrily to. Worf then storms out telling her there should be no wedding. O'Brien and Bashir enter Quark's where they see the Klingon banners being removed. Quark tells them that the wedding has been cancelled and decide to order dinner. Martok meets with Worf and convinces him to apologise to Jadzia. O'Brien and Bashir are just about to eat, when Sisko, Martok and Alexander enter telling them that the wedding is back on. Sisko tells Quark to remove the food, that there should be no food for those on the path to Kal'Hyah. Quark tells them there are no refunds for those on the path to Kal'Hyah either. However, Worf enters and tells them that Jadzia has refused to be married. Sisko then meets with Jadzia. Jadzia finds the notion of apologizing to Sirella insulting as she says she was once the Federation ambassador to the Klingon Empire and that she helped to negotiate the Khitomer Accords before Worf was born. Sisko tells her it was Curzon who negotiated the Accords- not her. In Quark's several Klingons begin to beat Klingon drums. The marriage service is almost operatic. It relates the creation of the Klingons by the gods who were later killed by their own creations. After Worf and Dax recite their vows, swearing to join with each other against all that oppose them, Sirella prononces them married. Bashir asks Martok if it is time to attack them but Martok tells him to be patient. Sirella embraces Jadzia, welcoming her to the House of Martok. Martok then tells Bashir to attack and he and O'Brien rush forward with their Ma'Stakas held high... Memorable Quotes You have gained weight...and your hair is going grey! - Sirella to her husband, General Martok We are not accorded the luxury of choosing the women we fall in love with. Do you think Sirella is anything like the woman I thought I'd marry? She is a mercurial, arrogant, prideful woman who shares my bed far too infrequently for my taste. And yet... I love her deeply. We Klingons often tout our prowess in battle and our desire for honor and glory above all else... but how hollow is the sound of victory without someone to share it with. And Honor gives little comfort to a man alone in his home... and in his heart. - Martok to Worf discussing marriage Background Information *The working title of this episode was "Once Upon a Wedding". *In this episode, we learn the Dax symbiont is 356 years old. *A scene in the script, but not in the final episode, involved the Starfleet members clearing out their quarters, which had been occupied by various members of the Dominion. Doctor Bashir's quarters were occupied by Weyoun who was apparently fond of collecting various items and studying them in his quarters. The items included shoes, coasters, bits of string, broken bottles, power cells, picture frames and chair legs. Nog's quarters were in an even worse state and had been occupied by Jake Sisko. *It is revealed in this episode that Curzon Dax negotiated the Khitomer Accords and was present at the Khitomer Conference in 2293. Also present (as seen in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) were Colonel Worf, the grandfather of Jadzia Dax's husband, Worf, and Dr. Leonard McCoy, who had a brief relationship with Emony Dax in 2245. *Jadzia Dax's father's name is Kela. *This episode marks the final appearance of Alexander on Star Trek. *In the ''The Simpsons'' episode "My Big Fat Geek Wedding", Edna Krabappel's Klingon "wedding dress" is a homage to Jadzia's in this episode. *A question that does not seem to be addressed in this episode is where the crew of the Enterprise, or Worf's foster family are, during Worf's wedding. Indeed the absence of the Enterprise crew would indeed be unusual considering the eight years Worf served with them and the personal connections they established. However, one possible explanation is that the Enterprise was too busy with a war-related task, and it may not have been safe enough for the Rozhenkos to travel to DS9 at such a volatile time. Guest Stars *J.G. Hertzler as Martok *Marc Worden as Alexander Rozhenko *Shannon Cochran as Sirella *Chase Masterson as Leeta *Aron Eisenberg as Nog *Max Grodénchik as Rom *Sidney Liufau as Manuele Atoa *Mark Allen Shepherd as Morn (uncredited) References ''Akagi'', USS; Altair sandwich; Bajoran shrimp; Bre'Nan; ''Bre'Nan'' ritual; The Dark Time; Dax (symbiont); Curzon Dax; ''Defiant'', USS; d'k tahg; ''Exeter'', USS; fast; Hamar; holosuite program; holosuite; Kal'Hyah; ''Kal'Hyah'' ritual; Kahless the Unforgettable; "Kahless and Lukara"; Karana; kava; ''kava'' juice; Kela; Khitomer Accords; Klingons; Klingon Dynasties; Klingon Empire; Klingon mythology; Klingon Second Dynasty; Klingon Third Dynasty; Klingon wedding; K'Trelan; linguini; Linkasa; Ma'Stakas; ''mapa'' bread; ''Miranda''-class; Morn; mushrooms; Ninth Fleet; ''Potemkin'', USS; raktajino; Reclaw; ''Rotarran'', IKS; Shelby; Second Klingon Dynasty; Shenara; Sisko, Jake; spring; Starfleet Fleets; steak; ''Sutherland'', USS; targ; Tawi'Yan; Toruk'DoH; ''var'Hama'' candle; wedding; ''Ya'Vang'', IKS; ''Yeager''-type starship. Category:DS9 episodes de:Klingonische Tradition nl:You Are Cordially Invited...